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Office of Financial Aid
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
The Education Amendments of 1976 require institutions to limit federal financial aid to those students who, according to institutional standards, are matriculants, in good standing and making satisfactory academic progress. Satisfactory academic progress requires the following:
- The JD candidate may receive federal financial aid for a maximum of 4.5 years if a full-time student, or 6 years if a part-time student. The LLM candidate may receive federal financial aid for a maximum of 2.5 years if a full-time student, or 5 years if a part-time student.
- All students must complete a minimum of two thirds of the courses they are attempting cumulative per year. In order to participate in the federal loan program, one must maintain a 2.25 cumulative GPA.
- Financial aid staff will review satisfactory academic progress at the end of each student's loan period (June for students whose loan period runs from August to May)
- All the student's grades, including failing grades, will be included in the computation of grade point averages and, therefore, are considered for satisfactory progress.
- A student repeating his or her first year or years will be eligible for federal loans during the years being repeated, but is eligible for federal financial aid for only the maximum time period stated above. Years being repeated are included in the maximum time frame.
- The student who has not met the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements may not participate in the federal loan program for the next semester. Upon the student's written request, his or her progress will be evaluated at the end of the unaided semester.
- The student may appeal the denial of federal student loans to the Assistant Dean of Academic Services and the Director of Financial Aid in the case of medical emergency or other extenuation circumstances. All appeals must be in writing. Once the appeal is approved, the student's financial aid will be on probation status and reviewed at the end of the following semester. If the student continues to not meet the SAP requirement, the student will not receive financial aid for future semesters
